Pages

Friday, June 10, 2016

123 Andrés: ARRIBA ABAJO

I just get so excited when I find high-quality materials for teaching our children. And it's even better when I get to share them with you! If you have children in preschool and kindergarten, you are going to love this new album from 123 Andrés.

ARRIBA ABAJO (aff) is a fantastic compilation of songs in Spanish and English that teach children basic concepts such as syllables, vowels, and more. It is an explosion of creativity, rhythm, and learning. This CD has 20 songs; 10 in Spanish and 10 in English. What absolutely amazes me is how Andrés is able to create these songs in both English and Spanish and stay true to the lyrics. That, my friends, is exceptional talent!

The CD begins with Vamos a cantar/Sing Now with Me, a do-re-mi song for children. Completely original, your children will be singing in no time.

Diez pajaritos/Ten Little Birds with Nathalia Palis is a lively adventure into learning how to count from 1 to 10.

Cielo, suelo/Sky, ground is the one that personifies the title of this album. Your nenes will reach for el cielo, then tap their toes on el suelo. It is guaranteed to get your kids moving and learning about the difference between up and down.

Los dos vacas/The Two Cows teaches children the difference between big and small, huge and tiny. It is a sweet song that will capture your child's imagination

Dame una A/Give Me an A will take your kids around the world as they learn their vowels! Andrés has also created a music video to accompany the Spanish verse of this song and it is SUPER CUTE! You can watch it below.

Vuela, vuela/Fly, Fly is another counting song but at a faster pace. It also includes the up and down concept.

La semilla/The Seed is our science song that describes what happens when you plant a seed and take care of it. It discusses a fruit life cycle and the things that a seed needs to live and grow.

The CD ends with Lunes, luna/Monday, Moon, which teaches children the days of the week in a gentle way.

Andrés Salguero's debut album, ¡Uno, Dos, Tres, Andrés!was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award last year and it is easy to see why. His music, while educational for children, is guaranteed to engage everyone who hears it. Parents, I DARE you to listen to this CD and not tap your foot or swing your hips.

Your kids will learn valuable concepts while moving and dancing to the beat of these energetic and cleverly arranged songs.

The album is supposed to come with a 35-page learning guide, but I haven't seen it yet, so I can't comment on it.

ARRIBA ABAJO makes its debut today and is available on iTunes, Amazon (aff), Spotify. And be sure to visit Andrés' website.

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this album for review. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.